What Happens When Sega and Capcom's Heroes Unite?

It's no surprise that Archie Comics would choose to follow up on last year's big Sonic the Hedgehog/Mega Man crossover, Worlds Collide, with a sequel. What is a surprise is just how ambitious the scope of Worlds Unite is. This new crossover doesn't just reunite Sonic and Mega Man. It also draws in the heroes of the Mega Man X and Sonic Boom franchises, as well as a host of other Capcom and Sega video game properties (including Golden Axe, Ghost & Goblins, Skies of Arcadia, NIGHTS Into Dreams and Street Fighter).

Worlds Unite is shaping up to be quite a treat for Capcom and Sega fans. And before the crossover begins in Sonic Universe #76 on May 27, Archie will be publishing a prologue chapter as part of Free Comic Book Day this weekend. Sonic and Mega Man: Worlds Unite FCBD Edition will set the stage for the crossover and offer two stories aimed at easing new readers into these universes. Plus, it's free, which is never a bad thing.

We recently had the chance to chat with Archie Action editor Vin Lovallo about this upcoming crossover and how the new Sega and Capcom heroes will factor into the conflict. Scroll down for more, and also be sure to check out our exclusive previews for both Sonic and Mega Man: Worlds Unite FCBD Edition and Sonic Universe #76.

IGN: How soon after the original “Worlds Collide” crossover did you know you wanted to do a sequel?

Lovallo: Oh boy, that was a while back! We were definitely throwing around the idea of a sequel fairly soon after “Worlds Collide”. The first crossover was such a huge success and we had a blast doing it. It wasn’t really a matter of if we wanted to do a sequel, it was more of a question of when it should happen and how can we make it bigger and better. Sonic Boom and Mega Man X were of course crucial in the expansion, as well as the inclusion of other franchises like Street Fighter and Golden Axe, which really push “Worlds Unite” to the next level in terms of scale.

IGN: Initially, “Worlds Unite” was billed as another Sonic/Mega Man crossover, this time adding the Mega Man X and Sonic Boom universes into the mix. Are these franchises still the driving forces of this crossover?

Lovallo: The Sonic Boom and Mega Man X franchises certainly contribute some crucial elements to the overall storyline of “Worlds Unite” although; the Sonic and Mega Man franchises are still the driving forces of this event. They act as the leaders in this giant cross-dimensional army.

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IGN: The recent Worlds Unite teaser gave us a much better idea of the characters and franchises involved in the crossover. Does that teaser represent the full scope of the story, or are there more surprises in store?

Lovallo: There will definitely be more surprises as the story continues especially in terms of the characters that you’ll see. The cast for this story is huge! The other franchises teaser really reflects the scale of the story, and gives everyone a hint at what is possible.

IGN: How receptive were Sega and Capcom when it came to drawing in all these other franchises? Did you run into any hurdles or encounter certain characters that were off limits?

Lovallo: Sega and Capcom were incredibly helpful when the time came to start drawing in the other franchises. We had characters specifically in mind for the story and all were clear to use. The real hurdle is for the artists who are drawing these different characters panel after panel, especially if they’ve never seen them before. It’s a tough job to make sure that these characters are represented accurately. Luckily, we have a greatly talented team, and all of their work has been simply amazing!

There weren’t really any characters that were off limits, although I am saddened by the lack of Ecco the Dolphin in this story. Maybe next time.

IGN: Without giving too much away, how would you describe the conflict of Worlds Unite? What threat brings together not just two versions of Sonic and Mega Man, but these various other Capcom and Sega heroes to boot?

Lovallo: The conflict in “Worlds Unite” literally spans worlds! No one is safe! I’m sure many of you are familiar with the main villain from the Mega Man X series, Sigma. He’s the big bad for this story. Sigma uses the power of the Genesis Portals, (fully revealed in the FCBD “Worlds Unite” Prelude) to hop through dimensions, take over their worlds and build an unstoppable army so he can rule the universe. It’s up to Sonic and Mega Man to join forces and make an army of their own to put an end to Sigma’s reign of terror!

IGN: Worlds Unite is getting a prologue chapter in the form of a FCBD special this weekend. What can fans expect from that comic? Does it directly set up the story, or is it more about introducing the various players involved?

Lovallo: It’s a bit of both! The FCBD “Worlds Unite” Prelude is a flipbook. One side features a Sonic-centric story that helps to set up the concept of the Genesis Portals! As previously noted, they serve as an important plot element in the overall Worlds Unite story. The other side features a Mega Man-centric story focusing on the background of Xander Payne, a villain from the Mega Man comic series. Xander was the one who first hinted to the readers that the second crossover was coming: back during our “Dawn of X” storyline in Mega Man issue 37-40. Both of these elements tie directly into the crossover, making the FCBD issue a great jumping on point for newcomers interested in “Worlds Unite” while also presenting new content for the long-time fans to enjoy.

IGN: Worlds Unite is following a similar structure as Worlds Collide, but you’ve also announced that you’ll be doing a series of “Worlds Unite Battles” spinoffs. How many of those issues will there be overall, and what characters will they focus on?

Lovallo: Mega Man Worlds Unite: Battles #1 and Sonic Worlds Unite: Battles #1 are two one-shot, comic shop exclusive special issues that serve as the windows into the battles happening “off screen” of the main story. There are A LOT of characters in “Worlds Unite”, it’s hard to give everyone the screen time they deserve in the main story alone. The battle books expand upon the action with the battles that you may only catch a glimpse of in the regular story. You’ll see some epic fights from fan favorites such as Zero, Vile, Knuckles, Sticks, just to name a few! At the end of the day, it’s chaotic fun and anyone who likes the Sonic and Mega Man franchises will surely enjoy these battle books.

IGN: Worlds Collide wound up having a pretty significant impact on the Sonic comics. Will the same be true for Worlds Unite?

Lovallo: Yes, there will definitely be repercussions as well as other elements that are established in “Worlds Unite” that will become key in the Sonic comic storylines following the crossover.

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IGN: By the same token, the Mega Man characters were left with little memory of the events of Worlds Collide. Does Mega Man’s role in this sequel make him a good stand-in for new readers who might not be familiar with these comics or the previous crossover?

Lovallo: I’d say so. Those who are only reading this crossover are in the same boots as the Blue Bomber. Though, it won’t take long for newbies to figure out who’s who and what’s what. We try to make things as clear as possible so that new readers and long-time fans alike can follow the story without any confusion.

IGN: What would you say to gamers who might be interested in Worlds Unite but are wary about jumping into these comics for the first time?

Lovallo: Why haven’t you been reading these books? They’re great! Seriously though, there is plenty of overlap with the games and comics that gamers who already know the characters won’t have any problem picking up the book and enjoying the story. Also, in each book we have a “previously” page that serves as a recap to any significant plot elements beforehand so that newcomers can get the general idea and jump right on in. That’s something we’ve been doing since before “Worlds Collide” and found that readers really appreciate it in case they miss an issue or are reading the books for the first time.

IGN: Depending how readers respond to some of the new characters in this crossover, is there a chance we might see more of Ghosts & Goblins, Street Fighter, Skies of Arcadia, etc. from Archie Action?

Lovallo: The SKY’S the limit on these STREETS! Haha! There’s always the possibility and I can’t wait to see what the future holds! I hope that everyone enjoys the first part of “Worlds Unite” available in Sonic Universe #76 on May 27th!

Both the Worlds Unite FCBD Edition and Sonic Universe #76 are written by Ian Flynn. Look for the FCBD issue to be released on Saturday, May 2 and Sonic Universe #76 to hit stores on Wednesday, May 27.